{"id":2879,"date":"2018-06-29T10:12:08","date_gmt":"2018-06-29T14:12:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.afcpe.org\/?p=2879"},"modified":"2019-04-23T15:43:59","modified_gmt":"2019-04-23T19:43:59","slug":"listening-between-the-lines","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.afcpe.org\/news-and-publications\/blog\/listening-between-the-lines\/","title":{"rendered":"Listening Between the Lines"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Brandy Baxter is a 2011 FINRA Foundation Military Spouse Fellowship recipient and financial coach. As a public speaker and owner of her own business Living Abundantly, she coaches and educates people on a variety of money matters, from budgeting to credit and debt management. In her work, she is truly setting the standard.<\/p>

AFCPE:<\/strong>\u00a0What inspired you to enter this field?\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>

Brandy:\u00a0<\/strong>When my husband and I married, we needed someone to help us understand our finances as a couple.\u00a0 We met people who wanted to sell us products, but we wanted to be educated.\u00a0 So, I researched. I learned and tried true principles to eliminate consumer debt.\u00a0 While we were eliminating over $75K in debt, I saw the principles working and started telling others what we were doing.\u00a0 Soon, I realized most people simply wanted to be educated on the basics and not sold products right away.\u00a0 So, I began looking for a program that would teach me how to help people understand their money.\u00a0<\/p>

While a student at Golden Gate University, I took a class taught by Saundra Davis, Sage Financial Solutions and it changed my life.\u00a0 I learned about Behavioral Finance and how money attitudes are the root of money choices. I knew that was the path I wanted to be on – helping people understand their relationship with money and how factors like family, environment, and exposure play a role in our decision-making process.\u00a0<\/p>

At the time, I was a military spouse and my best friend told me about the AFCPE\/FINRA Foundation Military Spouse Fellowship.\u00a0 I applied, was accepted, and I\u2019ve been on this journey ever since.<\/p>

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AFCPE: As an Air Force veteran, what drives you to stay connected to the military?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>

Brandy:\u00a0<\/strong>The military feels like the largest fraternal organization in the country.\u00a0 I learned so much about serving others while in the military that it has become part of my DNA.\u00a0 I stay connected with the military community because of the instant camaraderie.\u00a0 There\u2019s a feeling of acceptance in the military community that is hard to find anywhere else.\u00a0 The military has opened so many doors of opportunity for me, I feel I have a responsibility to continue giving back to the community that has given and continues to give so much to me.<\/p>

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AFCPE: What impact has the AFC\u00ae<\/sup>\u00a0and the FFC\u00ae<\/sup>\u00a0training made towards your work and approach with clients?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>

Brandy:\u00a0<\/strong>The AFC\u00ae<\/sup>\u00a0has given me the confidence to let my clients know I\u2019m serious about my profession.\u00a0 Once I explain to them the process of earning the AFC, I remind them I have the education, experience and ethics to provide them the best service I can.\u00a0 I then explain my fiduciary responsibility to act in their best interest and it gives them peace of mind that I\u2019m not a scam artist or any other type of unsavory individual.\u00a0<\/p>

The FFC\u00ae<\/sup>\u00a0training has taken my coaching to the next level.\u00a0 Now I\u2019m more attentive to what my client is\u00a0not<\/em>\u00a0saying.\u00a0 This allows me to \u201clisten between the lines\u201d during the coaching session and create a space where clients feel\u00a0their<\/em>\u00a0power over their situation.\u00a0 The FFC training has made me more respectful of silence during sessions because I realize that is often when the client is experiencing a collision between what they are saying aloud and what they really believe.<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

AFCPE: What an important skill to master! We really admire your passion and how you are utilizing both designations. What\u2019s next? What\u2019s got you most excited?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>

Brandy:\u00a0<\/strong>Wow!\u00a0 I\u2019ve always got something going on! Recently I was asked to speak at an event, spotlighting veterans in poverty.\u00a0 While researching for this event, I learned women veterans have higher rates of poverty than males and minority women veterans are even more susceptible due to a compounding of various socio-economic factors.\u00a0 This saddened me and I now feel compelled to use whatever platform available to me to raise awareness about women who have served our country and now cannot afford to take care of their families.\u00a0 You can expect to hear more from me on this subject.\u00a0<\/p>

I also co-founded a group called BlackGirlFinMagic, for women of color who are personal financial educators or business owners.\u00a0 Our focus is to encourage and engage women who look like us and who share our same passion for personal finance.\u00a0 We promote collaboration and community and we provide a safe space for those who feel they are part of a minority; as women and as women of color.\u00a0 I\u2019m excited to see the group grow and we\u2019ll be launching a blog series this summer where we\u2019ll spotlight women from our group.\u00a0<\/p>

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Brandy answers the Friday 5:<\/strong><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0My Why:\u00a0<\/strong>I want to equip people to live abundantly.<\/p>

2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0My Favorite Quote:\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cBe the change you want to see in the world.\u201d -Mahatma Gandhi<\/p>

3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0My Hero:\u00a0<\/strong>My daughters. They inspire me to leave a legacy\u00a0that\u00a0their<\/em>\u00a0children can be proud of.<\/p>

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0My Favorite Personal Finance Resource:\u00a0<\/strong>Google\u2026I can find anything I need from spreadsheets and calculators to definitions and discounts.\u00a0<\/p>

5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0My best advice:\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>